Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Today’s the day! I get to show the world my book cover for THE BODY INSTITUTE from Entangled Teen. A hearty thanks to everyone who participated in this reveal, via signing up with YA Bound or otherwise.

This makes my book seem so much more REAL, as does the fact that I (most likely) have just one final line edit left to go with my editor. Which is scary and exciting at the same time because, gulp, that will be the version people will read when it releases September 1, 2015.

Without further ado, here is the cover of THE BODY INSTITUTE:

I’m happy with how the cover hints at sci-fi and yet still looks accessible to non-sci-fi readers, because it really isn’t a hard sci-fi kind of book. It reflects what it really is. I like how the blues accent the crucial parts of the story—the BODY and the MIND. It’s a story of weight and body image, but also identity and the soul. Since this cover is primarily black and white, it may stand out nicely in bookstores and online as thumbnails. Cool!

Here’s the new summary Entangled Teen wrote up for my official copy:

The Body Institute
Meet Morgan Dey, one of the top teen Reducers at The Body Institute.

Thanks to cutting-edge technology, Morgan can temporarily take over another girl’s body, get her in shape, and then return to her own body—leaving her client slimmer, more toned, and feeling great. Only there are a few catches…

For one, Morgan won’t remember what happens in her “Loaner” body. Once she’s done, she won’t recall walks with her new friend Matt, conversations with the super-cute Reducer she’s been text-flirting with, or the uneasy feeling she has that the director of The Body Institute is hiding something. Still, it’s all worth it in the name of science. Until the glitches start…

Suddenly, residual memories from her Loaner are cropping up in Morgan’s mind. She’s feeling less like herself and more like someone else. And when protests from an anti–Body Institute organization threaten her safety, she’ll have to decide if being a Reducer is worth the cost of her body and soul…

Are we our minds…or our bodies?

YOUR TURN
What do you think of the cover, especially with it being mostly black and white?
Do you want to be a part of my launch day release on September 1? If so, I’ll be announcing the link probably in August, on this blog. YA Bound handles Entangled Teen’s cover reveals and blog tours, which makes promo way easier for me!

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Exciting NOTE!(which has absolutely nothing to do with the post below):My cover reveal for THE BODY INSTITUTE will be March 24 on YA Bound! If you’d like to be a part of the online reveal, sign up HERE!! Nereyda will send you everything you need.

And now, onto my regularly scheduled post. :)

LABELING YOURSELF
I read a recent online article about working out and thinking of yourself as an athlete. The article stated: “If you want to run more, think of yourself as a runner." And “If you want to swim more, think of yourself as a swimmer.” And so on for whatever sports activity you want to do. It’s apparently part of some new research in sport psychology, the opposite of the usual behavior-first kind of plan—where you would start running every day and then label yourself as a runner. (If you’re curious, the article is HERE.)

BE A WRITER FIRST
Since I'm a writer, I thought this was a great parallel for writing. The more you cement a certain image of yourself in your mind—making it an integral part of your mindset—the more often that behavior will occur. If you start calling yourself a writer (whether you verbalize it to others or not), you may be more likely to start doing the things a writer does.

WHY THIS WORKSTo apply the findings in the article to writing, the reasons this is successful make sense:
1. You begin identifying yourself with the kind of behaviors you’re targeting. It kickstarts and focuses your mental self-talk, the inner dialogue about who you are as a person and the kinds of activities you choose to engage in.
2. It increases your confidence level because you’ve already labeled yourself—it’s NOT a goal you’re still striving for, or risking failure for not having done enough to earn the label.
3. You’re more likely to plan and schedule the activities needed for being a writer (hint: sitting down with your computer/laptop/pad of paper, and WRITING).
4. You’re more likely to stick to your writing goals despite obstacles and barriers.
5. It preconditions you to success at being a writer and doing writer-related things.
6. You’re more likely to interact with and develop encouraging friendships with other writers.
7. You’re affirming that writing is an important part of your life, and you are choosing to do the activities that go along with the label of being a writer.
8. You’re more likely to work harder at the behaviors/activities of being a writer.

Go ahead. Call yourself a writer.

YOUR TURN
Do you call yourself a writer? Why or why not?
What do you think is the difference between a writer and an author—and if the terms are different to you, which one do you see yourself as?